Lion Tales
by aligator4508
Summary: sequel set six years later- Picks up three years after losing Princess Allura when they come together for their annual reunion on Arus. The remaining four paladins worry internally about being one lion down with Allura gone if a new threat rises. All have several internal battles within themselves trying to move forward. When a new problem starts to unravel the universal peace.
1. Chapter 1- Last Annual Reunion Dinner

Hi all, this is my first attempt at posting, most of my stuff is at A03. If for some reason due to rating this gets taken down or needing to be continued exclusively over on that platform, you may go there to finish this fic if interested. I do usually post what I call *Nursie Notes* on most new updates. Other than that, hope you like and have fun, I do look forward to making new friends in the fandom! This fic is rated M and E over and A03, so I am rating it a hard M here. This is a Kidge story because there is just not enough of them out there so I wrote/am writing my self one lol.

Much love, hugs and best wishes for all my fellow fandom friends

Aligator4505

(PS: I used to be a nurse a LOOONG time ago, which is where the Nursie Note comes from...)

Well then let's get on with it. Can't wait to hear from everybody, email and comments are good for the soul! However, please be gentle, this is my first time... here.

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LION TALES- (The unofficial 9th season)

Summary:

Starts with the reunions and gives history into past feelings and future developments Also will hint at some big bad guy showing up at some point. This chapter is to catch up on our team and leads to what happens next...

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**Part 1: **

**The Last Annual Reunion Dinner…(Aftermath…)**

_(Year 2- The second annual reunion post-war, series introduction prelude)_

Hunk had "arrived" or at least that was how he had first described the feeling to his best friend Pidge when he first told her his exciting news with the giddiness of a child on Christmas morning. He had told her early on, her father was the chief engineer on the IGF-Atlas and since it would station his first attempt on the surviving warship which was also housing people and alien alike living happily, enjoying the times of peace. For the moment, it was the current time they took a rest, regather their strength, and take the time that was desperately needed to grieve for their fallen princess, lost paladin and over all else, deeply loved and missed and very much an irreplaceable friend.

The lions now slept, giving everyone the time needed to reach their full strength again when some new megalomaniac rose to decide they were the only being fit to rule and shape up the universe. It was inevitable one would pop up somewhere, the same as every other self-absorbed chaos-causing power-hungry being wanting to force their beliefs onto others. It never failed and only a matter of time it would take to happen. The way Keith and Shiro looked at it was to substitute a different evil's head on a rather well known Earth dictator whether they be human or alien, the result was the same and the response would never change either.

_(year 3, post-war, Second year the five Voltron lions have been in hibernation/healing sleep. The third annual reunion, current time...)_

This year, the third reunion coinciding with the Juniberry harvest festival, Hunk could announce that his hard work over the past year had paid off and his new establishment would have a grand opening, inside the IGF- Atlas in less than just a few weeks. Shiro, being captain of the Altas patted Hunk's back for both following his dream and a job well done. As well as sticking with it when things got rough and not once thinking to give up and seeing it throughout to its completion. Plus at least now he can get a decent cheeseburger in deep space.

He won't admit it, at least not out loud anyhow- MAYBE under torture…. But that's a big maybe... and while a little sad to see them all growing up so fast. He was so very proud of every member of his team.

His paternal instinct kicks in and he crosses his arms to his chest in thought, while his eyes survey his surroundings. His brain echoes with thoughts about Pidge, or Katie as he's known her for most of her life, having worked with her father for since she was barely walking.

'_She's just a 15-year-old young girl.' _His inner voice shouts at him.

He stops himself with a firm _"not anymore" _shake of his head.

If he opens his eyes, he knows he's not looking at a child prodigy super genius anymore. Perhaps, an even smarter super genius now, but she wouldn't and couldn't pass herself off as a boy again if she tried. He then scowls, glances at the younger man he's called his"_Otooto" _meaning little brother in Japanese for years even before Kerberos.

He tries to shake that notion off, however; he is the single cool younger uncle type, fun when called for, firm when needed. He understands Pidge's plight. While at this second he wants so badly to be that adult presence over Pidge spewing out his usual typical Space Dad twenty questions.

'_What would be his not so little brother's intentions if he recognized the look of pining and lost innocence in Katie's now even larger-looking mascara painted eyes? _' He questions himself.

He's internally arguing with himself now, one part wanted to hover over Katie, the other over Keith, to make sure no innocence is getting lost on his watch...

She's in a very whimsical green with a purple Juniberry flower print empire waist spaghetti-strapped sundress, that's not her style, fucking sandals showing that she had painted more than her eyelashes, as she's eyeing that not so little brother like space candy. It's so out of her comfort range, he's shocked nobody's gotten a bloody nose from mentioning it… so he figures it's gone "unnoticed" for a reason.

Which, has now also brought up twenty more of his typical awkward Space Dad questions, making them total far over a hundred running rampant through his head.

His other half though... (The guy half anyway) wants to shake Keith for being just so plain dim and simple-minded in this area. Especially, if that rumored Axca debacle has anything to do with his perspective on the subject of having a significant other/partner/lover.

No matter if it's plain physical, just primal or even gods forbid romantic. Shiro can understand that all too well having been engaged once himself.

In over the decades' worth of time that Shiro's known Keith, he's seen no sign or evidence that could give anybody an idea about how the younger man has ever felt about that subject.

Both Keith and Katie are technically adults now. He reminds himself again with an inner reprimand forcing down the urge to hover, much the same way he can see Katie herself doing.

Young love... it gives his heart a painful ping as he remembers reading Adam's name on the memorial, Gravity pulls the corners of his mouth into a small frown but reminding himself the purpose of them being here and of Adam's sacrifice, he pushes those corners up and forces his expression to brighten almost too much forcing himself to reign it in a bit, but still allows a smile, flashing brilliant white teeth.

There is no room, nor need for heavy hearts tonight, especially with all there is to celebrate. With his last thought, he slams the liquid contents of the champagne-like drink in his hands down his throat like he's in a fraternity hazing party and grabs another. This is a time for celebration and happiness, there is no reason or need for reminiscence on the hard times that got them there, Allura wouldn't want that, and her memory or his team did not deserve it either.

Once he's managed let the Katie/Keith thing be, at least he hopes for now, and enjoy the party, he shakes off his thoughts of the hunch he's got on his pair of teammates and focuses them on the entire original team being reunited once again. He figures that the whole Pidge/Keith issue is technically his second in command's problem if there is one. She is his chief engineer's daughter, after all. Plus, she is close to her twenty-first birthday. He now resolves himself to enjoying this time to spend with his former fellow paladins, teammates, friends, and family while he's got the chance, trying not to think of what kind of future the pairing of those two would or could bring.

No matter how he keeps trying to push that nagging hunch down, it doesn't seem to go anywhere.

However, he tries though, that relentless feeling about something being up with those two just won't be pushed away. He can try to overlook it, but it rears its head every time he glances toward either of them.

Sometime later, after the greetings had died down and he had observed every one of his friends from afar before greeting them himself, he finds himself seated at an oblong table watching dinner being placed in front of all of them.

They had all joked a bit and discussed naming a drink after their lost teammate, Lance's first true love, a big sister, a friend, and family, along with Coran. The older Altean even suggesting they use a bit of Nunvil in the concoction.

Lance visibly shudders at the idea.

"NO no, no! Absolutely not... that hot dog water is nowhere near good enough to be an ingredient to honor my Allura... er... um, such a dear friend!" He corrects himself quickly, almost letting his mask slip.

Pausing, he forcefully pushes the tears back from his eyes, not wanting his friends to see just how much the loss of his first physical, emotional, mental and altogether first real relationship had totally fucked him up or how much he thought Nunvil tasting anything like hot dog water and feet, was much more of his seventeen-year-old self's version of what bad tasted like…

Now, it was closer to what he would describe like Everclear/Jagermeister/Tequila combined with roach water that had been sitting stagnant for weeks inside someone's Shaggy and Scooby-Doo themed bong had gotten mixed somehow together and was not a thing that he would likely consider passable for consumption. He'd have to be pretty damn wasted and even then… he isn't sure he'd stooped quite that low… yet. Other mixtures aside though were and currently still not off-limits.

He's well aware there's a bottle or two of something waiting for him in his room.

The saddest part of it all is that he _knows _… he's tried just about everything imaginable, to shut his mind off. Sometimes even just to sleep through the night. Problem one is that this IS a self-destructive crutch he's been getting semi-through these past three years with had stopped working for him some time ago.

If he could admit it to himself, but the hole he's dug has made it much harder to climb his way out instead of pushing through and breathing fresh air for the first time in years. He's done this to himself, so he must deserve it. He should feel grateful to Mama and Marco for putting up with him, in fact, he should be grateful for all the people that call him their friend sitting next to him. But he's not… he still believes it should have been the lions, or at least him to take Allura's place.

He sees confused looks bounce at him from several directions. All too quickly he put his _'I'm ok' _mask on and starts forcing himself to take part in the conversation once again. He does not understand how something like this, socializing with his best friends would not be enjoyable for him… He was the life of the party one second, looked away or maybe blinked and it disappeared with Allura…

Amidst the friendly banter of names he's hearing, he joins in, teasing at how Pidge couldn't sample any of the drinks because she was still technically underage by Earth standards and was not yet twenty-one years old by law on Terra/Earth's ground or twenty-one Earth years of age. He hates throwing her under the proverbial bus but drastic times…

Anything to distract the overly suspicious glint in Shiro(the proverbial bus)'s eye that has now settled into a scowl pointing directly at him. The glare from his former leader has him fighting a squirming fit, he needs Shiro off his case and on to something or someone else to fry. He almost genuinely smiles at how well he knows his little birdie. Looking at her, as he runs his notorious mouth, he notices for the first time since landing that something is off about her appearance. His eyebrow arches as his big brother instincts kick in for a moment but quash when Pidge, immediately blushes, embarrassed... His pigeon never has, never does or never will disappoint though, and the redder her face gets the better he knows he is and that she never will. The louder she gets the better for him and the madder she gets there is no cap on how well she'll deliver the goods. Which is exactly what he needs right now.

He will be returning to this whole new look she's got going on at the moment because duh, she looks amazing. Yet he's still somewhat pissed off she let someone else braid her hair. However, his first plan takes precedence, he's gotta save his skin first mind you and he's got plenty of time to put her on blast for those false eyelashes.

Before he can fully conclude that there is definitely something off with his little birdie though, which would have nullified his original intentions had he sensed any kind of danger on her behalf, Pidge delivers... She always does. Within half a tick her mouth is open, her voice growing, carrying over all other small talks as she argues that time works differently in space and how would it hurt for her to drink something after everything she's seen. She's earned it... deserves it even. She is not a child anymore and has watched more devastation in six years than most see in a single lifetime.

Also pointing out the fact that the Atlas would be in space, arguing that she wouldn't be on Earth and she shouldn't have to follow some lousy Earth law that shouldn't even pertain to her or her situation.

She loses the debate when Shiro reminds her that her father is his chief engineer aboard the Atlas and doubts that he would let it slide, even though she is legally an adult for all intents and purposes except Earth standard law after the third world war and before the alien invasion. So her argument of different countries having different drinking ages didn't hold water either. Once he adds that her entire family currently lives aboard the Atlas as well it takes some wind from her sails.

Once Hurricane Katie finally dies down though, Lance knows he's off the hook for now and everyone congratulated Hunk on his personal milestone as they all agree in unison that if anyone could pull off something like this, it would be him. He was as much at home in his kitchen as he was being Yellow's paladin.

The IGF-Atlas, the intergalactic space fortress that it was, now housed hundreds to a thousand of military and diplomatic dignitaries, along with a healthy crew led by Shiro and Sam Holt, Pidge's father, this included the MFE ships and pilots along with Veronica, Lance's older sister. It was slowly turning into what anyone would see as any other normal military base… only once again... in space… it had never even occurred to the Garrison that a ship of its caliber was even possible; it was the first and maybe only of its kind.

A lot of knowledge of Altean tech died with Allura three years ago. Pidge, her dad, and Coran, along with a handful of colony Alteans were the only hope of bringing new life back into what may have been ancient to Alteans but more advanced than anything Earth had managed without the help of the few that are still acquainted with how it worked. As it was, long before even Blue took Shiro, Keith, Lance, Pidge and Hunk to fight the Galra, Earth didn't have a very good track record with anything that worked on the law of equivalent exchange instead of Murphy's.

This turned into a lesson Earth would need to learn quickly but still hadn't quite grasped the concept yet.

The best unknown feature to the rather large vessel, the original Castle of Lions, along with its highly advanced tech, (Pidge was like a kid in a candy store during those years and always looked back on that time fondly as her eyes caught every light reflection and sparkled in a way that was distinctly her), was that it could completely transform into a giant robot… and merge with Voltron.

As long as the Balmera were near and Shiro can figure out how to use the Altean crystal Allura had gifted him, placing it inside arm... again… He hasn't a clue what triggered it to happen in the first place, maybe because his friends were in peril or some fluke chance occurrence that he hasn't been able to even simulate it happening again. He very much hopes it's something they won't be needing to rely on ever again.

A Bar and Grill for occupants of the massive Terran/Altean tech mecha would be an exciting place for those with downtime to relax and enjoy some entertainment. IT wasn't like it didn't already have your basic shopping mall, modeled off of the historic Mall of America in the states that had been destroyed during the second American Civil War.

That same war would escalate into the third world war bringing world leaders together in hopes to find a solution. Which is why now, Earth or Terra as beings throughout the stars have been calling their home planet from the beginning, have formed an agreement similar to the Declaration of Independence and are now governed under one diplomatic government, seeing no use for a royal family, monarchies were disbanded but allowed to keep their titles and land but became civil citizens. Military rank could never be stripped so if a royal served in any branch they also reserved the right to hold on to any metals or titles achieved in that aspect.

The IGF- Atlas, now complete with a small rollercoaster inside the duplicate Mall of America and an ice skating rink built in some time after the last battle. The IGF- Atlas now was Earth's largest and only defensive weapon of its nature and an ambassadorship, bringing already allied and unknown unallied other worlds together into what had started out as the Voltron Coalition in the beginning as one beautiful princess, her chief advisor and five accidental misfits tried with everything they had to save one planet at a time from Zarkon's tyranny.

Each greeted as heroes upon return after Sendak's ruthless invasion. It took more than just Voltron to bring down his evil forces that day and Earth learned a valuable lesson in teamwork.

Once Haggar was defeated, and the Atlas returned safely to Earth, planetary officials and Earth's governing bodies banned together seeking a way to prevent anything of this nature from happening again.

On planet Earth, a Galaxy Alliance was formed and together with the good planets that began the coalition, they maintained peace throughout the universe.

Through this blessed time of peace, the IGF- Atlas was slowly becoming the number one vacation spot for Balmerans, Okalri and other friendly alien beings alike. After being created as a weapon of mass destruction to create aid for those in need of help or even coming to the rescue of Voltron himself, its primary purpose at one time was it was overall built to combat enemies as an intergalactic warship, not even close to the purpose it served for the time being.

Although, perhaps it still served its main goal of representing peace amongst star systems, not to mention the diplomatic way to travel. It was modeled as a cross between the first Castle of Lions and several top-secret terrain battleships, that had an internal atmosphere much more like that of a mini-city.

A beacon for weary travelers, a luxury hotel, apartment-like quarters for staff and family, depending on rank and military barracks for everyday soldiers that did not pilot a Voltron Lion or MFE fighter jet. It had also become somewhat of a rest stop for Blade members not out on a mission or needing supplies replenished.

It was a great idea for Hunk, and everyone highly approved of his dedication to "bringing the universe together through food". And according to the menu, it would have just that... What they weren't expecting was the name Hunk came up with for his brilliant establishment. They understood, that when going to such a place one would want to chill out, relax and unwind. They also understood his compulsion for all things yellow… being the Yellow Lion of Voltron and all.

However, he wasn't currently piloting said lion, since all five had found dens and were resting peacefully in their way mourning the loss of their beloved Blue Paladin until called upon again when needed. That had been just one year ago. All were woken up in the middle of the night with each lion saying goodbye for now.

Hunk wore his huge heart on his sleeve finally being able to announce that his space Bar and Grill was now only weeks until being fully open for business. It was a time to celebrate, however, there was a huge pink elephant that followed them on all these get-togethers but nobody wanted to be the first to bring the matter of a new threat popping up in any kind of context giving it attention like it would manifest itself by thinking about it way too hard...

And, although they all knew the day would come again, it was inevitable.

later than sooner they all hoped at least for the time being and hopefully maybe even longer, forever would be a very good pipedream... But because the universe itself was vast, historically even if only looking into Earth's past, beings that caused harm and oppression to the freedom of others popped up frequently. Narcissism, entitlement, greed, and evil were equal opportunity characteristics and unfortunately did not discriminate on beings, wherever they came from, and couldn't care less about race, gender or sexual orientation.

If the Paladins had learned anything during the time they spent in space on the castle ship, it was that things could escalate rapidly and go from friendly negotiations to all-out destruction of one race of beings or another simply for breathing in different atmospheres.

The remaining four Voltron Paladins well knew of this in both their hearts, heads, and gut but refrained from discussing the matter in any kind of formal way. They heavily leaned on the phrase out of sight, out of mind for the moment. Grasping onto a very superstitious way of thinking, giving way to a very faulty belief that talking about something could somehow bring life to the subject. No one wanted to take their chances on bringing some new big bad coming to fruition just because they brought up the topic just in case.

Their hearts all still hurt from losing Allura and all of them knew, Lance especially not only because he is still heartbroken from the loss of his princess and still loves her faithfully, more than that, she was also a hell of a fighter if Lance was counting the reasons his heart still felt shattered and seemed beyond repair. All of them felt it deep within, that deep-rooted horror of being one paladin down and uncertain of how anything would work out when a new Blue Paladin would need to be chosen.

Still, all remained sentimental of their titles and favoring their colors and Hunk for whatever reason he had clung to his color. They all have in their subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Hunk paid his lion homage through the name of his restaurant. Calling his new place "Mellow Yellow's".

Lance had been the first to scoff at it, Hunk had really left himself wide open for it- First in an ass-backward compliment, remarking that at least it wasn't an Applebee's then making fun of the name while questioning him on why anyone would want to have a 'hard' drink in a place named after an old twentieth-century soft drink that had come in second to something close to one of Pidge's energy drinks that was a "retro" throwback to its superior called Mt. Dew.

There are a couple snide remarks about how both drinks looked like someone took a piss in the bottle and some other friendly banter especially when a very serious and confused Coran states he doesn't get it, not seeing the joke in the comment and quickly starts rattling off several examples of alien civilizations that did indeed find this to be a normally accepted practice, a rite of passage or symbol of virility in quite a few cases, causing Keith to start choking on his drink.

After several looks of outright disgust between the four non-Atleans, a few shudders and an actual dry heave that Shiro swears is NOT related to the "potty" humor. Pidge starts nervously rambling about how back on Earth historically, ancient doctors did this to diagnose diabetes in a patient, inviting even more snide remarks from Red's paladin. All of them know that this is just how Lance's mind works and everyone smiled brightly, happy to see him smile at all.

Lance laughed a bit harder for a tick before his features deadpanned, then flashing an almost pissed off glare as he told Coran "forget" it. His eyes search out her statue in an apology for what he feels is forgetting her. His depression had taken a toll on him and while he was still lean and tall, he wasn't sporting the exact body of the same gangly teenager he had when he started as the team's first Blue Paladin of the group. MOST would call him handsome but, the dark circles under his eyes and how his clothes just kinda hung on him gave him away.

They did the best they could with what's clear to all of them, and Shiro isn't the only one worried about him. Lance had spent most of his time between Arus and his family's home on Earth the first year Allura was gone. Now he sticks around his family's home, finally settling in somewhat with his Mama and brother Marcos's family, planting Juniberry's on Earth in honor of his fallen love.

Lance had never taken this kind of loss well, and sometimes even thinks of how they had lost his dad amidst the chaos of the multiple wars that seemed to come in waves. Lance, being biracial, his mother being Cuban and had been raised in a large Cuban family on an island between where Miami and Tampa Bay remain.

One thing he has never mentioned to Keith is how much alike they truly are. He figures this is the cause of both the one-sided rivalry he first felt and the kind of friendship that had developed over the years.

While Keith's dad was a firefighter and died saving children from a burning school building, Lance's father was a very stereotypical Irish police officer from New York City visiting family in Texas when he met Lance's mom. After a whirlwind romance and almost a dozen kids later, life seemed to be coming together rather well. Colin McClain had moved to Texas, married Lance's mom and became chief of police on their small little community near Houston only miles away from Garrison headquarters where everybody knew everyone else. It was on that uneventful night when shots rang through the silence when Lance was nearing six and his youngest sister was just starting to walk. It was a local raid gone bad and Lance's dad was the one shielding a girl no older than fifteen caught in the crossfire from the onslaught of bullets. Lt. McClain saved a young girl's life but lost his own to shoddy intel. After the incident, Lance's mom moved her large family back to the small island off the coast where she had grown up. Lance always did love to look to the sky to see the Garrison jets soar over them during their drills and this stayed with him.

It had taken Lance a very long time to get through that tragedy… No telling how long it would take for him to move passed his most recent traumatic experience.

Even Shiro knew that time was the only thing that would honestly heal Lance but sometimes he would really give anything to see that fire in Lance's eye again and was tempted several times over to bribe or goad even Keith into giving Lance a good old-fashioned ass-whooping just to maybe knock a bit of sense into the young man a tad faster than time itself might do. However, he held back; he was the captain of the one remaining operational, in commission mecha that symbolized peace, and a former Black Paladin, so he gave himself his patience yields focus speech anytime even the topic of conversation turned towards the almost always sad Red Paladin.

The conversation is dying down to a hollow lull. All dinner guests, inside their heads for a moment. Each of them feeling like the weight of the world rested on their shoulders alone, and other normal issues each trying to work out internally.

The lions had been asleep for an entire year now, all hidden in a den that resembled their element in some form, seeking comfort in the peace they brought to billions and grieving the one they could not. The only one any of them could know the exact location of was Black, he rested on a large raised pedestal overlooking the new capital city that had sprung up around the new castle. Making him damn hard to miss, but also a beacon of faith, hope and above all family.

Honestly, the group was anxious about how they would find their partner lions without Allura's quintessence. The Arusians were delighted to honor Black, leaving trinkets and such, and very kindly trying to do what they could to help the new colony of Alteans transition in the best ways possible to what was now their new home. The castle now stood overlooking a large lake that surrounded its circumference giving it a bit of added security. The battle-worn Black lion loomed over the budding city of New Altea, watching, protecting… _waiting_. Both native and new inhabitants of Arus looked upon the sleeping mechanical cat with favor and fondly praised him as a thing of wonder. He kept them safe, or so they reasoned and most beings either citizens or guests respected the giant lion for all he had done. The embodiment of the lion goddess might be gone, but her spirit lived on through the five amazing sentient protectors.

Shiro hears someone clear their throat and snaps his head in the direction the sound came from.

With a sheepish smile, he chuckled sounding slightly embarrassed as he looked to see who had wanted his attention.

"Shiro?" Coran inquired tilting his head at the commander.

"OH… um so sorry Coran. Guess I spaced out." He laughed again as he rubbed the back of his head with his real hand.

The others looked around at each other, hoping that Shiro was all right. He wasn't usually this quiet at their get-togethers and tonight, while he wasn't acting overly silent, or unusually out of character necessarily, it was clear he was a little uneasy about something or at the very least something was on his mind.

"Can't have no spacing out here number one... you're not even in outer space." Coran teased. Shiro rolled his eyes softly but never lost his smile. Realizing his joke wasn't as funny as he thought it was, Coran, let his laughter die down slowly.

Pidge, sitting to Keith's left, gave him a questioning glance then looks at Hunk and then peers at Lance.

She could feel her heart in her throat, as she followed the Red Paladin's upward gaze that is currently focused solely on the large statue of Allura that stood as a memorial over them all. A monument built to honor the sacrifices she made, a reminder that even in death, there is still hope. She may not have brought back her homeworld of Altea, but she had saved the entire universe along with her people.

Three years since her sacrifice, the Altean colony had made the most of her gift and there had not only been an influx of new Altean children, a little alien baby boom as Hunk referred to it after meeting some of the newest editions to the Altean people but the sparse number of remaining Alteans scattered throughout the galaxies had also somehow found their way back to their new home and people. Those thoughts alone helped her blink back the tears that threatened to spill.

Pidge eyed her friend wearily. Lance was leaning back into his chair, left ankle resting on his right knee and his arms folded tightly against his chest. His bright blue eyes had lost most of their shimmer, his skin has lost its tan and the Altean marks starting to fade physically all screaming at his mental health not being so good. There was no laughter in his voice when he spoke or behind those eyes that hadn't sparkled since he kissed Allura goodbye. While occasionally he would throw a joke here and there and sometimes even laugh, There was also a blank unexpressive look set upon his handsome features that masked all emotion, red flags creating a self-destructing kind of numbness to his presence and that broke Pidge's heart.

She felt sad for one of her dearest and closest friends, there had been a time, although she would not give it a voice out loud, she did, still does if it matters and trusts him with anything she told him, her own life even. She wished she could help him, to hug him until he felt better…

The only problem with this would be friendly act of kindness… she wasn't doing any better in her romantic musings.

She threw a side glance at Keith and sighed inwardly. His head tilted upward most of the evening, his eyes on Black as if waiting to catch him wake up with a ground-shaking roar. She simply blinked hard then purposely tore her eyes away from him, unaware that both Keith and herself had several different sets of eyes watching them most of the evening.

This time her heart dropped into her stomach like a boulder off a cliff as she fiddled with the end of the tail of the french braid she had her hair up in. Pulling the tail over her shoulder, she had allowed it to grow back out and hadn't cut it since impersonating herself as a cartoon before leaving to fight Haggar. She twirls the ends aimlessly, almost mindlessly curling it around a small finger.

Turning her attention back to Coran, she couldn't help but be a little hurt at how Keith hadn't been very outspoken since he arrived earlier that afternoon, the most he'd said was "Oh hey" as he nodded and she was a little concerned when she was continuing to catch him looking up at Black.

She hoped he'd at least listened when she explained the new Voltcoms, as they were now the equivalent of their bayards and made it possible to keep them on them at all times since she had turned them into what looked like a basic wristband. Once activated it could transform around their forearm and immediately react as their bayards do. She was proud of this trick and more than a little disappointed that Keith didn't even ask questions, let alone give her any semblance of whether he knew of her presence there.

She smirked at herself for being just a tad hypocritical in that department. She could not fault him for missing his lion.

'_Yeah, I miss Green too… can't blame him there…' _She voices nostalgically to herself as she crosses her arms adding a bit of snark.

'_Still could have said something about my hair being different…'_

Catching herself thinking this way, she rolls her eyes.

'_Great… avoided being like nimrod over there for almost six years and now when I barely see __**ANY **__of my friends here, I have to think like some stupid lovesick teenager. I am never taking advice from Romelle again, that's for damn sure.'_

Breathing in to clear her head, she needed to put her mind somewhere else, it's a good thing she caught the very end of whatever Coran was saying.

"I'm sorry Coran, could you repeat that please, I think I misheard you. What about a colony council?"

She at least had the decency to appear as if she was candidly sorry. She wasn't listening and desired to appear somewhat contrite but was now interested despite being caught. For some reason, this year everyone seemed so distracted. She sighed and rubbed her hands over her arms, shoulder to her elbow. She could feel the skin form chills, with visible gooseflesh rising as evidence but wasn't sure if it was from the breeze turning nippy as the two suns fade out together or from nerves because she was sitting next to Keith.

She wasn't sure. Cursing herself for seriously wearing an overly girly sundress with an empire waist, that Romelle had bought for herself at the Atlas mall but was too small in the chest, then spontaneously gifted it to Pidge... at least she'd bought it in green and purple, she smiled brightly at Coran trying to hide behind it.

"Oh, certainly number five…" He answered cheerfully, fully aware of his surrogate family's emotional state.

Pidge felt a tap at her shoulder once she had diverted her attention to the older Altean. Flabbergasted, after peaking behind her and almost falling backward out of her chair, in a double-take, she arched a brow at Keith confused, hearing her heart pounding between her ears.

Keith had taken off his new jacket, well at least it was new to her anyway, and was holding it out towards her as an offering. He gave her a gentle half-smile and nudged it forward, watching as her hand came up, her fingers enclosing around what felt like leather.

Leaning forward, he shrugged. "Here, take it. You're gonna freeze."

But before her wit could kick in and she could reply something snarky like "_Let it Go" _... The whiff of his Freshwater cologne with a hint of something else had her grasping the material like she was ready for a game of tug of war.

Her heart unequivocally melted, he always had been very alert to his surroundings. Her eyes grew broad as a black hole and she looked from the jacket to Keith's face, going from genius in alien space tech with credentials and degrees to alien food goo that could not even talk.

Nodding, (figuring that was the safest bet because her words were betraying her at this point.), she pulled it to her and quickly threaded her arms through it, letting his Freshwater cologne engulf any of her senses it wanted a whack at. For just one second she didn't care if everyone was looking at her, it smelled like him and it wrapped around her so cozily. She hoped that it was helping to hide how pink her face was getting, but there was no way in Dante's inferno she was refusing the gesture, no matter how awkward she looked snuggling into it, already deciding he wasn't getting it back soon.

"Ugh… thanks." Was all Pidge could manage as she looked up at him still standing behind her after shrugging off his jacket to hand to her.

"Don't mention it, Katie. I'll get it back eventually…" He steps backward with one foot to return to his seat but hasn't managed to sit back down just yet.

Pidge just nodded again, Not catching him call her by her real name Katie nor did she trust her voice to speak. Somehow, being enveloped in his coat had her crossing her legs trying to get comfortable without squirming from what being this close to him did to her insides.

He was behind her in a flash, inhaling the arousal coming off her in waves, knowing his Galran nose would be the only one to pick up the ambrosia-like smell.

"You know how windy it gets here in the evening, you shoulda worn something to cover your arms... Why'd you wear something so… um…"

His voice lowering to not quite a whisper and he spoke under his breath, then inside his head.

'_Beautiful, revealing and causing me downright dirty thoughts for the rest of the night, better yet, how 'bout I pull up that skirt and fuck you so thoroughly deep…' _

His thoughts dropped off when an inaudible to others slow groan emitted from his diaphragm, startling him from his Galran baser instincts.

Great, now he's got a raging hard-on. He immediately sits down in his chair to hide the immediately twice the noticeable size bulge in his tight skinny jeans, now without a jacket to cover his lap but grateful it wasn't his Blades uniform…

His mind keeps blanking out whenever his eyes involuntarily fall on her, but its better than seeing what's going on inside his head… it wasn't easy for him to find his voice or concentrate on outside matters with her under him, and him watching his harder than ever dick being swallowed by her oh so tight passage and covered by that delicious smell inside his mind.

The last thing he needed was for anyone to figure out what exactly was playing on a loop inside his head and he's taken aback from her meek almost unheard voice.

"Thank you."

Almost at a loss for words and his face almost the color of his scar a sheepish look crossed his face instantly, but he gruffly pushed out his words never the less, hoping they didn't piss her off.

Nothing like a standoffish attitude to nullify the progress you just made…

"Just keep it all right, it covers more of you than that dress and it'll keep you warm."

'_Yeah, that was a stupid thing to say…' _He added internally.

Expecting Katie to go ballistic... he turned his eye to Black quick, clearly prepared for Katie to say something.

Pidge almost visible trembling, was too shocked at being engulfed in his jacket to say shit.

Once Keith sat back, he almost facepalmed himself when he realized how he must have sounded and looked. Thank Oriande the others all still seemed preoccupied with Lance.

'_Great dumbass…' _His thoughts racing.

' _**THIS **__is why you don't talk to girls… fuck it… wait. Did she grow out her hair? What the hell is wrong with me… I called her Katie, not Pidge… again! Fuck my life…'_

He couldn't believe how stupid he sounded and his face tinged pink making the scar on his face pop out more. Glowering to himself, he tightly crosses his arms.

He flashed a quick look over at her to measure her temper and then back on Black like he'd of moved one paw with nobody noticing, then at Lance and finally back to Coran. He was pretty sure he was imagining things but he would almost swear he felt Black's yellow eyes following him since he arrived and watching him the entire dinner. Turning his attention back to the host, he sighed inwardly, deciding to talk to Shiro later.

"… is everyone with me now. First, I have some great news to share with all of you Paladins and then some even better news after I've explained the great news!" Coran announced happily with a hint of fondness to his voice none of them had heard for quite a while.

"Ok, we're listening," Shiro stated, once he had made sure all eyes were now on their speaker.

After all, a space dad's work is never done…

Coran cleared his throat.

"Well now, let's see… where to begin…" Coran scratched his head deliberately stalling to give his brain a chance to catch up. He hadn't expected to get their undivided attention so quickly and the result of not preparing his words beforehand was becoming quite evident to his listeners.

"You're going to tell us a fairy tale? Pidge barely kept herself from laughing but she has wrapped herself in Keith's jacket and somehow she remained quiet since Keith sat down.

"Oh no…" He taps at his chin. "No… I don't believe there are any fairies in my news. We haven't seen fairies in this neck of the galaxy in probably twenty thousand years. Now Polluxian Pixies you might find a village or two scattered throughout the stars. They're nasty little buggers when they get mad though… Don't even think about having one for a life partner either, I made that mistake once in my youth, very spiteful when you try to break it off… That whole friends with benefits stuff never work out..." He shook his head nostalgically. "Still got the scars." He laughed and wiped a tear from his eye as all the paladins tried to focus on getting him to just start the damn story. "Fairy dust is so sparkly though…"

"Coran…?" Shiro finally interrupts.

"Oh, yes… yes right. Where was I?"

"The great news, the even better news that will not turn into one of your epic varga long fairytales…" Lance interjected with an annoyed tone. Obviously, he was no longer in a decent mood.

All looked back up to Coran, doing what they could to push how Lance had sounded out of their head. They all knew Lance didn't mean to be snappy or grumpy, and everyone wanted to help him bring back their goofy teammate.

He may annoy, but even Keith admitted to himself despite the unwillingness to address the issue, that if Lance progressively got worse, they would be over only one lion down when shit hit the fan.

He wouldn't admit it to a single soul, not even Shiro and that was saying something. Looking at his friend and so-called self-proclaimed "rival" his sinking feeling of having lost two of his greatest friends instead of just the princess that fateful day made its way into his present thoughts, making him afraid that his right-hand man so to speak had died that day too.

He may not have followed Allura physically, no, there was still a shell but the Lance going into that battle was not the same Red Paladin that came out. He felt Lance was one of his best of friends, they had grown up a lot together mentally. There was just something about everyday life or death situations that bonded people together. He hated seeing his friend build up the wall around himself. He had been closed off like that when they all first meet, and after the past six Earth years fighting together, it was Lance that had helped HIM to open up. Being both the team's leader, the Black Paladin and intricate part of the Blades of Mamora- beyond that one of Lance's closest friends, he had to think of some way to lift his best friend's spirit.

Keith may have been a little antisocial in the beginning and fought hard against his true nature, both human and Galra before he even knew he WAS part Galra but after his dad died, there wasn't anyone that could see him for any of his true talents or worth. Tell him of his mom or about the small detail that he was HALF alien. He didn't know and as a child, the fear and anxiety of abandonment took its toll. He knew what loss looked like. He might not have lost Katie but still... confused by that thought, his anger sparked up his spine remembering how he had been treated as he went through a very unforgiving foster system.

They saw an orphan and troublemaker and although his true characteristics went against the stereotype those of authority wanted to see when looking at him, with his dad gone and no honest knowledge of his mother, it was hidden from him purposefully to protect him. So, he gave them what they seemed to want and expect. Nobody believed in him until Shiro, and even then old habits die hard.

The first time he sat in Black's pilot seat, he prayed to every deity he had ever heard of and to any he might have missed. He did not want to be the one to make the heavy choices that came with that role and he wasn't about to take Shiro's place even if it was Shiro's idea. If Black chose him, then he would admit that Shiro would never return or possibly even dead.

Which was actually what happened, and Allura brought him back to them all. That was just one of the many things she had done for him and his fellow paladins that she deserved to be remembered for. He didn't understand why the people he cared for always ended up leaving and he wasn't letting Shiro go, and if he returned, he was afraid that Black wouldn't accept Shiro back since he had chosen Keith.

He was well aware now that he had been childish, a little selfish and somewhat arrogant. He knew he had changed a lot in the two years he spent with his mom traveling through the abyss on a giant space whale that turned out to be only time-spanning several weeks for his teammates. The whole time/space issue gave Katie a headache even, so he dodged that whole subject like Ebola. Granted, It had helped him grow up and into a better person. He realized now that it was always intended to happen like this… that Keith would have to step up, and in some weird way, Shiro was his substitute, his place holder until he learned enough about himself and show better judgment skills. Shedding his old defense mechanisms and learn that like it or not, people looked up to him, they needed him... He had to realize how much he truly mattered in the entire game so he could step up.

Shiro saw the potential inside him. He genuinely just knew it was there. When he stepped out of the old Altean ship with both his mother and Romelle, he was fully prepared to do what had to be done. He wouldn't allow any kind of life to be just wasted and used the way he saw Zarkon do and then Lotor with the Altean colony had done for millennia.

But it really hadn't done much for his people skills. He was getting better… He was working on it. He blew out exhaling, trying to clear his head. Katie just kept looking different every time he saw her the last three years and while he was well aware of how much he cared about her before, now it was getting complicated for him. He had trouble all day looking her in the eye especially when his cleanest thought of the day about her so far was how she'd look great in nothing but his jacket or that the green dress she was wearing looked very pretty but it would be downright beautiful on the floor in his room.

He had several of the future flashes on the space whale that just the thought of them turned his face red and he hoped the dirtier ones were truly dreams or a fantasy he had when he fell asleep or zoned out from being on that thing for two damn years. If Krolia saw what he was seeing, he'd never be able to face his mother. He especially didn't want to explain to the mother he'd just found out was alive that he had a one-sided thing for one of his teammates. Several were pretty X-rated and the awkwardness of having her see his face between Katie's thighs framing and locking it there would be on a whole different level of awkward…

"Ok Paladin's… here goes." Coran twirled his mustache and cleared his throat.

Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly shaking his head. He would never understand Coran or his flair for the theatrics. He hoped it wasn't one of his longer stories. He just wanted to check in with Keith and find out what had been bugging him all day since they arrived, take a really hot shower and sleep like a rock after being on the Atlas in space for more of the past year than on something resembling actual planetary rock-solid ground. The Atlas had artificial gravity, and it worked simply terrific, however, Shiro is familiar with the differences between artificial and atmospheric, gravity.

Hearing Coran starting his now overly theatrical address, he focused his attention on listening to what the older man was telling them, instead of how he told them.

Shiro's gut instincts were flopping all over inside his lower abdomen, sighing as he relented and reluctantly began to concentrate harder on focusing attention on Coran, No matter how intently he focused, inwardly he had a bad feeling about this "great" news his quirky friend was about to spout off. With an inward moan, he resolved himself to his fate by at least catching something in each sentence and only guessing on the actual news and or point his elder was trying to make in his awkward cheeky manner.

Shiro hates it when he was right…

"Our colony has come together in discussions that will hopefully have our people moving forward. A group of elder Alteans, I have been invited to be part of this group, have created a council of founding members. We are looking to oversee our future endeavors here on Arus and hopefully put in some real effort to rejoin our peoples and incorporate ourselves into the new Galaxy Alliance and universal society. We want to take part in the rebuilding of peace throughout and they have all asked that I be appointed our Altean ambassador and castle diplomat. I will also take on the responsibilities of the advisor to the new monarch…"

Coran finished his words with relish, just before realizing he had just let the cat out of the bag so to speak on his second announcement.

A laugh could be heard around them as it slowly increased in volume. Pidge, Keith, and Hunk all whipped their heads back only to see Lance laughing.

"See, Lance is on board!" Coran exclaimed nervously... already knowing he hadn't chosen his words wisely at all and didn't phrase his sentences to sound at least sympathetic to Lance's feelings.

Shiro raised an eyebrow, looking Lance over trying to decipher if he'd finally lost his mind or what. If he just genuinely thought the news was great or funny, hell, Shiro would laugh with him and the other paladins would join in just as fast if they were in any way aware of how much dirt he had on every one of them. But, on the other hand, if he lost every one of his marbles, he might need each to take a limb while he got out a straight jacket.

Lance slowed and caught his breath, standing, he bent forward placing his hands on his knees and looked around him at his friends.

Once he finally caught his breath, he shook his head. "That is the biggest quiznaking pile of bullshit, I've ever heard… after all, she did for you… for us… for the entire fucking universe."

There's a maniacal tone to his words. He stood up straight, pushed his arms straight over his head stretching out.

"I'm gonna get to bed, had trouble sleeping in the transport. I'll catch y'all later." He shoved his hands in the brown leather jacket he was wearing and headed for his quarters inside the new castle.

Pidge took a step to go after him but Shiro grabbed her by Keith's coat collar snapping her back a step.

Shiro looked over at Keith, whose total attention is once more back on Black again.

Hunk stood up and stretched too with an added yawn. "I am a little tired." He admitted. Glancing at Shiro and catching his nod, Hunk put his large arm over Pidge's shoulders and started guiding her towards the castle too, she flashed a quick look at Keith then at Hunk.

Rolling her eyes, she folded her arms. "What the quiznak, was that…" She demanded her tone low and lethal.

"I think Shiro wanted to talk to Keith…" Hunk replied honestly but couldn't help himself after that, "Nice dress…" he added and took off running as far and as fast away from her as he could.

Glowering, watching him run inside to hide, she screamed at him. "YOU'RE DAMN LUCKY I AM WEARING THIS DRESS!"

Coran watched the scene with confusion, plastered to the spot and in the same position he was in as Lance had stood up. His mouth hung open as if starting another sentence, his eyes landing individually on each person now scattering from the table. He didn't think he had told them all the news yet and was sure he had only informed the group of the colony's formation of a new council of elders. So they could make informed decisions for the future of all Alteans and Arusians once they reinstated the Monarchy…

He promptly closed his mouth and a scowl immediately formed on his face. Before he could even form the words to ask if it was something he said, his words came back to haunt him. "Advisor to the new monarch…" that way of wording the news was bound to not sit well with Lance.

"Well, QUIZNAK!" He cursed, his head falling forward and chin resting on his chest.

* * *

To be continued... (there's more to post, but let's see how this goes. It is also still a work in progress so please bear with me lol)

THANKS FOR READING!


	2. Chapter 2- Wake Me Up

**Part 2: **

**Part Two:**

**Wake Me Up...**

Lance had found his room hours ago, shut himself inside and ignored all attempts of his friends to check in on his wellbeing. He had locked the door first, changing the passcode to something he figured Pidge wouldn't try right away if she went into her hacker mode. He knew she'd figure it out eventually, but he not gonna make it easy for her… In all their kidding around about his goofiness and being not the sharpest of the group. In all honesty, he was far from stupid and was just as smart as his fellow paladins, as all of them had their own skills that added to the team's dynamic. What he lacked, and admittedly hid, was beyond made up for with what he truly brought to the table. He had turned the new device Pidge had given all of them when they had arrived that day (he thinks she's calling it a Voltcom- but hadn't been listening during her explanation), off immediately. Throwing it somewhere on the nightstand next to the bed, shedding his clothes, almost kicking them under his bed and locked himself in his private bathroom, ducking under the hot water of the shower and allowed the noise and steam to help him ignore the knocking on the main room door or the beeping from the new device that he already knew was coming.

He hid in there for over an hour and was sure his friends had gotten the message he needed some time to himself. He had wrapped a towel around his waist and lost track of time as he sat on the bed with his back leaning against the wall behind him. His eyes were closed, as he tried to calm his racing brain, wanting nothing more than to forget Coran's words and fall asleep, but since that wasn't even close to everything that has been running through his thoughts lately, his desires are in vain.

He is annoyed at himself, first, because as upset as he was, IS, he knows that as much as he wants to, he can't cry. He couldn't get any tears to fall anymore and was more than acquainted with the phrase 'cried out'. Second, he is rather pissed off at himself. Even after he had told himself that the fifth of Vodka he threw in the nightstand was brought in error and he wouldn't use it anyway… although he has a spare in his bag hidden in the closet, he'd downed it entirely without a chaser and still could not fall asleep. Third, he's even more pissed off at himself that a fifth of booze isn't enough to knock him out anymore and he's feeling guilty for several reasons and doesn't need the fact that he might lean on something a little too much to help him forget. Fourth, besides the heavy drinking and the shame he's feeling that he needs to hide it- he knows what has caused him to seek refuge from a glass bottle of nasty clear liquid.

Not only does his heart miss Allura, as she still haunts his constant thoughts and dreams, but he also finds that he rather likes the dreams more than the thoughts. His anger at himself, he knows is well deserved, and he has nobody to blame but himself. He is heartbroken still over the loss of his princess and hates that three years later; he is losing the memory of how her hands looked when they ran down his chest. He hasn't forgotten how they felt thank whatever universal god responsible for that little gift but he sees the Altean marks fading along with the tan on his skin. Above all, he hates the feeling as if he's losing something else but can't figure out just what the fuck it is. That, along with the guilt and shame of how he has treated those close to him, not just that evening but since he walked out of that last battle, Lance hates himself.

And, there they are, the tears he was missing… He wipes them from his cheeks and blinks the ones welled up in his lower eyelids away, closing his eyes, covering his entire face with his hands.

Why can't he just fall asleep! It's all he wants right now. A reprieve a rest… So, Lance focuses on slowing his breathing and tries in a desperate last attempt to find peace.

He has lost track of how long he's had himself tucked into himself holding his face in his hands. All noise from outside his door has ceased, and he is not aware of anyone trying to reach him for quite a while. He has heard nothing but the sound of his heart drumming through his ears for some time now and he hopes more than anything that he's finally falling asleep.

He's promising himself that he's gonna start treating his friends better, hide less behind the easy accessible alcoholic Terran crutch he's been seeking help from, and maybe take a step into the living world for a few minutes every day… that is… if those same gods allowing him to remember Allura's touch let him fall asleep.

Within the silent dark room, the only thing he can hear is the beating of his heart and finally, he thinks they have granted him his gracious request.

Until… he's startled by a haunting, low-pitched sound resembling a voice he's afraid he's forgotten. For a moment, he's content, feeling as if he's fallen asleep and as happy as anyone in his emotional distress could, he feels himself opening his eyes.

Expecting a dream he's let fuel many of his alcohol-infused dreams carry him until he wakes up the next day, it startles him when he looks into the darkness of the room.

Lance sits up, ready to throw several curses into the night at those deities he's been praying to. Visibly upset, he throws his legs over the side of the bed and blows off the sound as just wishful thinking. In the back of his mind, his little 'dark passenger' reminds him of the second bottle of Vodka in the closet. His body shakes with the attempt to ignore that particular refuge. But he still finds himself standing, and then with his hand on the lock screen to open the closet.

It isn't until he feels the hair on his neck stand on end does he sense something behind him and the weight of someone's head resting between his shoulder-blades, that he jumps from the sheer shock of the glow and then the sight of what he is seeing as he turns his head.

"Lance?" the haunting tone of that voice comes at him in question.

Lance backs up, his back against his closet door now that he has fully turned to see what was behind him.

"Allura?" His voice comes out shaky and his hand rises to touch the almost transparent hair that falls around the shoulders of the memory he's seeing in front of him. He knows he's dreaming, he has to be, but his hand goes through the strands like it would any holographic image and he now feels anger sparking up his spine as his brain quickly goes to Pidge playing a mean joke, even though, he also knows his friend better than that… she would never be so mean. Finally, as the beautiful image of his princess stares at him, her expression somewhat stern as if seeing through him with one brow raised in question almost as if she did not recognize it was him, less than an arm's length away, he finds his voice.

"Are you real?"

She smiles warmly at him. Shaking her head at him and chuckles not quite lightheartedly.

"I am as real as any memory and time we spent together." She answers looking almost uncertain of how exactly to approach him.

"Then…" He breathes in, trying to calm himself. "Then you are a dream." He states and moves towards his bed. While this dream is new, he knows where this is going and he quickly loosens the towel at his waist as he steps towards his bed.

The vision in front of him shakes her head again at him. This time, a firm no translates to his clouded mind.

Lance still possesses the capacity to be frightened and embarrassed. He grabs for his towel and tries not to scream.

"Ghost!" He cries… figuring that seeing a ghost is better than the alternative, that he drinks way too much and is losing his mind.

The princess takes a deep breath before she answers.

"Lance! STOP!" She almost screams at him. "I… I have little time and I need you to listen." She demanded, reaching for his wrist and this time…

This time her fingers catch around it and Lance's eyes grow larger as he realizes this isn't exactly normal, and he's suddenly sober.

His persona switches… his recent attitude and self-loathing forgotten and he feels normal again for a moment as he's allowed to envelop her into him and hold her to his chest. His head resting on hers as he takes in the smell of Juniberries.

"I've missed you…" Is all he can manage his voice cracking, and he hears the barely audible hitch in her tone as she allows him to pull her even closer.

He is grateful for the time she is giving him to remember the way she felt next to him and he loses any sense of just how long she lets him hold on to her.

If nothing else… at least he gets to feel her against him one last time.

Lance is unaware of any time passing… how long he's able to keep her there or even how long she's been there in his arms. The entire world around has vanished, and he feels like he's inside the dimension the Lions have taken him and the others to when needing to show them something. He tries to steady his hammering heart. He wants… he wants so much in this one instance, that he can't separate any of the thoughts rushing through his brain.

He comes to a brief sense of reality once he discovers that she's pulled her head from his shoulder and is holding his face with her hands, her eyes searching his with the blue irises as big as they can be. She is pleading for him to stay with her for a few more seconds, for him to listen to her… with the light in her eyes, he can feel her distress and knows he is wasting whatever this is that has allowed him this one last and final comfort.

"I will never see you again… like this…" He chokes out, his voice is hoarse from the crying he doesn't know he's been doing.

Her smile is warm but sad and she gives a nod of finality. His heart wants to break all over again, but somehow, he's finding strength from just her presence.

"Lance, do you really think when I gave my life for the universe, that it excluded yours? What have you done that makes you feel that you don't deserve to be happy?" Her words are searching and for once, Lance truly feels dumb. He knows she's right but he can't keep his words inside his chest.

"I lost you! I didn't save you… how else am I supposed to feel, you are my world!"

Allura just closes her eyes and shakes her head at him again. "You were not responsible for what happened. I ended the war for everyone, but that was only one war, Lance, I need you to listen."

Lance's brow crinkled up, and he backed up away from her in response.

"One war?" His question echoed through the dark. "What are you talking about… we are all ok, still here… your people are thriving. They need you! I NEED you!"

"You're not hearing me… PLEASE… just listen." She begs with her eyes.

Lance takes a deep breath and looks at her defeated. "You're fading I feel it."

Her thumbs brush over what's left of his marks as if erasing them. "Hear me now, this was all I could give you at the time and is the last of my quintessence within you. These marks have given you the strength to make it until now but I must use the last to warn you. THIS thing, this mess you've become will not last long and there are more important tasks yet for you to accomplish. Voltron is a DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE, not just of my people but for all. He comes when needed and as of right now, that universe I helped saved will need YOU more times than it will ever need me. You have forgotten your place, Paladin."

Surprised and a hell of a lot more guilty feeling, Lance knows almost momentarily what she means. "BUT _I LOVE YOU_…_ I… I_ still love you." He manages before feeling his anger bristle again.

"And I love you… I always will… but I cannot be here with you anymore. The time we had… yes cherish is… remember it… grieve if you must but for the love of Altea PLEASE HEAR me when I tell you that this thing this madness that is coming needs you far more than it needs me. The most I can do is use what's left of my magic to warn you, because of that love, that bond we shared. It was my time to go. Not yours, so…" She paused and tapped her chin, thinking of a way to express what she needed him to see. Finally, her eyes almost brightened with her tears and shown with a smile. "**SO**, get your ass up and rejoin the living with your friends, and fellow Paladins. I did not give my life for you too, how would you put it… FUCK off yours!"

She has his attention now, she only used Terran curse words when she was… well… under him, in a passionate expression… He recognizes the look of both fear and authority and knows she's trying to tell him something but can't come right out and give him specifics.

"Even if I do… the four of us can't form Voltron. Losing YOU we are still a paladin down!" He cries out at her, desperate for her to see the point of view he's had for over three long years.

"You know as well as anyone, that the lions choose the paladin. Blue chose you until you were strong enough to step up to who I have always known you could to be. If Green is the lion of nature… the Blue is the lion of NURTURE... there is a new Blue Paladin Lance, and you must help find them before it's too late."

"What?" Lance jerks with her words. "You can't just be replaced…"

"I am not being replaced." Allura rolls her eyes. "You understand more than you acknowledge. You already know that Voltron will rise when he's needed. Blue will have a new paladin, you can't stop that." She shakes her head again at his stubbornness. "Listen… Listen…" She whispers. "Alteans may thrive, and that was my purpose, please, please help them stay that way."

"Yeah, they're thriving all right… they want to replace you with a new monarch… if that's not treason I don't know what is…"

"All is not as it seems, yes, they need someone that will lead them on the journey forward. Maybe you see that as replacing me but it is not like that at all… The right being in that position could do wonders for my people and the need for Voltron is more pressing than you know."

"Why me? Why come to me and tell me this. Why not go to Keith, Black's paladin, and team leader, or Shiro? Why come to me? I've done nothing to give you any faith that I might do the right thing."

"For one, you can smell what you call a snake a mile away and there's something wrong inside this castle. I do not know what it is exactly but it can and will lead to worse things than Honerva could have even imagined." She pauses, knowing her time is fleeting. "And because I love you…" She whispers to him and leans in to kiss him. Before her lips touch his, she feels his breath hitch in anticipation and she smiles into his warm waiting kiss as she whispers into his mouth. "But those ears…"

"They can still hear you…" He banters back feeling the warmth of her mouth touch him in a way that is more real than anything he's ever felt.

The last thing he hears as her fingers brush his forehead and his eyes fall closed instantly are her breathless words.

"I hope…"

To be continued...

Once again, please bear with me on the chapter posting... took me forever to figure this one out tonight lol... Again, you can read ahead on A03 but two more parts and both sites will be caught up and then each part will be posted on each site at the same time. Thanks for reading, I look forward to us all becoming friends through fandom!


	3. Chapter 3-New Divide

**Part Three**

New Divide...

I remember black skies.

The lightning all around me…

It was the one thing that lit the dark sky, following a boom that shook the ground under both the present and former Black paladin... Each stood quietly in the courtyard, watching nightfall officially set. The younger man shifts his weight from foot to foot nervously, gathering his courage to speak first.

Keith knows he can tell Shiro anything; his problem is, he hasn't a clue where to begin. His main priority at the moment is the way he's felt Black watching him all day and while he's tried to blow it off as feeling paranoid, the only distraction from his uneasiness throughout the day had been Katie ... Which had him questioning which issue he was looking for a distraction from. He hadn't had this much trouble the past two reunions or any of the other random times he runs into Katie accidentally, on purpose even or throughout all their missions together. He has always been protective and a little possessive over the youngest of his team; he knows how much he cares about her and can acknowledge inside his head that he fell for her quite a while back; possibly since the first time, he met her. He just can't think or find the voice arranged precisely how he needs them understood. He substitutes the definition or using many various synonyms, meaning the same thing as the feelings he tricks himself to bury. This time, for whatever reason, his brain is not allowing him the use of this very helpful strategy. Somehow, today of all days, every emotion he's pushed away regarding her is now flooding his senses, and he feels he could drown.

Sure, he's let himself get caught up in a daydream or a hundred- but he doesn't think he's come so close to losing his shit as he had today. She didn't smell like she's been tinkering with anything mechanical, no hint of oil or any kind of fuel, causing havoc to his confused, overly sensitive nose. He could only describe it as completely Katie with a hint of Terran Lilacs. Her dress showed off more skin than he'd ever seen, and that was saying something… He couldn't say he's ever been jealous up to this point, but now, he can scratch that feeling from the things he doesn't want to feel bucket list. He won't admit it to anyone, especially himself that giving her his jacket was not solely because she was visibly cold. No, one other thing prompted him to hand it to her. He'd seen more than a few eyeing her all day and he didn't appreciate what their attention was implying at all.

Keith knows it's stupid; he must give her up someday. He can't stop her from having the normal life she deserves.

His obvious insecurity about how others perceive him has him convinced that he'd probably just end up hurt and alone, anyway. He wasn't about to lose Katie in his life and chose the safe path that guaranteed he could still keep her close as a cherished friend. He'd lost way too many others in his life on a gamble that could freak her out enough to have her stop talking to him. He knows that he would have already lost his temper by now and alienated her if he hadn't learned what Shiro was saying with his whole "Patience yields focus" advice. Well, that and two years on a space whale through the quantum abyss gives you all kinds of patience. He'd grown up a lot since being reunited with his mother and now understands that she had never just abandoned him on purpose. She only left to protect him and his father.

Keith adores his mother, and if he thinks about it, he wouldn't change anything. How else would he have learned from his mistakes that would give him the ability to lead his team as Black's paladin?

It startles both, as they still stand side by side, staring off into the distance when the sky flashes a brilliant array of colors, the ground shakes from the thunder and with no other warning; the rain beats down around them.

Looking at each other just before taking off towards the castle, Shiro calls out over the noise of the storm.

"Keith!... GO get dry clothes. I'm gonna check on Lance and I'll meet you in ten minutes!"

Keith nods, affirming he's heard his brother and both race to get inside.

Any being that spends time on Arus would know that the climate, unlike Altea is very much closer to what the paladins would expect on Earth than anywhere else within the stars they had come across.

At the moment, they are experiencing what is much like winter in southern California. The days are mostly sunny and bright until the suns sink beneath the horizon. The daylight hours are never extreme or hot, unless in the canyons or valleys where heat would get trapped. On rare occasions, the heat could soar past a healthy human's resting body temperature. In the evening, the warm breeze picked up, much like what those living in that area on planet Earth would describe as the Santa Ana winds. As the temperature would drop, the winds would increase. With these winds being gusty at moments and depending on what kind of day it had been, they could be warm or chilly.

Tonight, Arus' version of those Santa Anas had blown in a rather nasty thunderstorm. Those asleep might sleep through the entire thing, but those awake would swear it was a mini earthquake every couple of minutes until the storm started to pass. These weather patterns were normal on Arus, and no one would think anything of how severe they could and might be.

Again, tonight was a little different. It wasn't letting up as Keith looked out the floor to ceiling window that completely took up a sidewall of his room. He watches the rain, the bouncing like rubber off the pavement gives a calming almost hypnotic effect as it makes more than a few ripples in the lake just below. Apparently, Lance wasn't the only paladin suffering from insomnia.

Keith rested his forehead on the glass as he stared into the distance, feeling his scattered thoughts scrambling in all directions.

His mind wandered to Shiro and hoped he could at least reassure the rest of them that Lance was fine despite the incident just after dinner. Deep within, he's pretty sure that this depends on the definition of the word fine being used.

The storm is not letting up nor showing signs of doing so. He's not sure how long he's been waiting for Shiro to drop by, but he knows it's been nearly a varga if not more. He gives a tired sigh, being more tired mentally than physically, regardless he won't sleep, anyway. Waiting for Shiro instead, there is no need to bother with trying.

It was the gradual, still far off sound of footsteps echoing towards his quarters that alerted him that Shiro was finally about to show up.

Keith took a deep breath, blowing it out and closed his eyes while continuing to lean even harder against the reinforced glass of the window. Since he was sure Shiro would stop by at some point, he hadn't bothered with entering his code to lock his door.

He didn't even bother turning around when he heard the soft swish of the door as it slid open and Shiro barely had both feet over the threshold before Keith spoke up.

"Were you able to check on Lance?" Keith asks softly, the concern he tries hiding clear on his face.

"I wasn't able to see him. Somehow he got it to lock Pidge out even. But I could hear him snoring inside through the door." Shiro answered, moving to stand next to his friend, whose attention was still on watching the rain race down the window.

"At least there's that… er… that he's sleeping, anyway. I guess… right?" Keith turned his head ever so slightly towards the older man.

Shiro nods at him. "I don't have any idea how to handle this, Keith, we all adore Lance, honestly, I'm getting scared for him." The words are something he hates having to admit, sound more like he's hearing someone else say them.

"He'll snap out of it soon,…" Keith replies quietly.

"It's been three years… Not sure if there is any more we can do for him until he makes that decision on his own. This kind of thing is a very personal healing process. We may never get our old beloved sharpshooter back at one hundred percent." Shiro shrugs defeated for the moment. "Well, since I know that Lance is fine till morning, guess I should move on to another issue that I'm a little anxious about."

"Yeah, what? Is there something I can help with?" Keith offers before turning his attention to Shiro.

Shiro hints with a crooked grin as he catches Keith's violet eyes, holding them.

"As a matter of fact, you can Keith…" He pauses, giving Keith a moment to figure out he's the other issue that has his oldest friend worried.

"What can… wait, you mean me?" Keith gives an offensive confused look and then sighs loudly.

'Here we go...' Keith mumbles inside his head.

"How d'you guess." Shiro deadpans at him.

This was it, time to pick which of the problems he needed the most help with. Keith balls his fist tightly and screams at himself for taking the easy one.

"It felt like Black's eyes followed me all day," Keith states, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something isn't right under the surface somewhere..."

Shiro feels sympathetic to Keith's words, but he also knows Keith expects the worst while hoping for the best. "You can't keep living like you have been Keith…"

"Huh?" was the only response Keith could manage.

"Give me a little credit here, please, or at least listen til I'm done." He reiterates with a fair amount of exasperation then finally sighed.

Keith has always respected Shiro and his advice. While it may remain true, it can still annoy the shit out of him. He gestures with his hand for Shiro to keep explaining and hurry the hell up.

Shiro hadn't expected it to be that easy to get Keith to listen to him long enough to truly hear him and acknowledges the awkwardness of being unprepared with a single nervous chuckle.

"As I was saying, you can't keep living the way you are and have been. You'll burn yourself out and into the ground. What happens if or when there is an emergency Voltron's down over one paladin, including his main lead lion. Stop sabotaging yourself waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop, enjoy the peace we have given the universe, you've earned it. You can rest now. Remember, the past is gone, the future isn't here yet but today is the present. It's a gift, Keith. It took me a long time to learn that."

Shiro smiled at him then, showing that he understood the reasoning behind Keith's caution. He isn't ignoring or blind to the hardships the young man has faced. Nine times out of ten, for Keith when something was too good to be true, or going the way he wanted them to, it almost always got taken from him through absolutely no fault of his own.

"I just feel like I should prepare us is all. I'm our team leader, the Black Paladin… First, you want me to take responsibility, and when I step up, you tell me to relax… slow down… BREATHE… How can I do that after seeing everything we've seen. There's nothing wrong with being cautious and prepared!" Keith's voice rises slightly before he can stop to reign it back in. Taking a deep breath, slowly exhaling he closes his eyes to collect his thoughts.

Pushing off the glass, he stands and crosses his arms in front of him. "We are all too aware that Black won't operate without the other four lions waking up first. Blue doesn't even have a paladin right now…" The slight small tremble in his voice seeps through only clear to those that know him well.

"The lions choose their pilots, Keith, you know that already… We can't do anything until Blue wakes up on her own when she feels her next paladin is ready and not a second before that." He softens his voice noticing violet irises flash yellow as fast as the lightning outside. "I feel you, you want to protect the peace you helped build… are building… You can rest now. You've earned it." He states, an almost pleading ring in his tone. He runs his hand through his white hair pushing the front fluff of wild bangs out of his face. His face takes on a sincere expression, hoping to help Keith see what worries him. He stammers a bit as he speaks again, not sure what or how to say what he needs to say. "I, I just don't want to be worrying about you on top of Lance." He tries to calm his young friend.

"I promise… you will never have to worry about me EVER being on top of Lance." Keith interjected, lacing a large amount of sarcasm into his words with a deadpanned expression. Seeing the aggravated look cross the older man's rugged face, Keith feels a pang of guilt for maybe taking his frustrations too far. Taking a calming breath, Keith gathers all the empathy he can muster. He changes his tone, trying to reflect the respect and trust he has for his surrogate older brother into what he was about to say. "Look, Shiro, I appreciate the concern but I really am ok." Right now the conversation is taking a turn he's uncomfortable with, and all he wants is to escape unscathed.

Shiro rubs the bridge of his nose, frustrated that he isn't sure how to approach what he wants to say next. This was not in the Garrison job description when he started the academy. He's too underpaid and stressed out just as bad as Keith is only better at masking it. Carefully, he clears his throat as he switches his method.

"So… um… that was very nice of you to give Katie your jacket earlier." Shiro finally said after a brief pause then rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly, suggesting that he's heard Keith referring to Pidge as Katie since they all arrived.

Keith's eyes grew wide, and he had to fight the crack in his voice threatening to erupt when he opened his mouth. "I only did what anyone of us woulda done." He offers, trying to sound nonchalant, but he knows Shiro caught him sounding like a preteen whose voice was changing.

Shiro flashes him a stern look as if he can see right through him.

Keith felt the heat of the blush creep across his entire face, swallowing hard, he looked down at his arm, suddenly overly interested in the new gadget Pidge had given all of Team Voltron's members earlier that day.

"These are cool, don'tcha think?" he says, his voice just above a whisper trying to dodge the implications in the big brother, fatherly type tone Shiro's taking on.

Shiro arched an eyebrow and folded his arms to his chest. "Ya know Keith, it is ok to have feelings for someone. Everyone does."

It was Keith's turn to get frustrated adding an eye roll, too. "Well, yeah… I care about all of you." Keith paused for another moment. Shutting Shiro up was no easy task. He would have to be too vague or go way past over-exaggeration... Shiro was in Space Dad mode at the moment so Keith summoned his inner Lance-like mouth and prepared his words.

Shiro let out a frustrated sigh. Knowing he isn't any good at this… but he needs to say something without outright putting either on blast. He's noticed for quite a while now the looks they throw each other when they think it's safe or no one's paying attention. Katie was horrible at not getting caught by everyone but Keith, and this was only because he was clueless that she had developed a harmless crush even she was probably unaware of in the beginning. She may be clever with all her gadgets but she sure as hell wasn't sly or sneaky. Pidge was the youngest of the team, all of her experience with others in any kind of normal social setting had literally flown into outer space the second Blue took off solid ground. The closest to anything normal had come from being around four males, three friendly aliens, and several space mice, along with an entire enemy alien race hellbent on killing all of them and destroying the universe. It wasn't her fault the only hands-on experience available to her was not exactly her first choice. Her genius alone had her out of normal school classes and accepted into the Garrison early on. She hadn't had the chance at becoming anywhere near acclimated to the luxuries normal for adolescents of her age. She may be the smartest mind that exists now or perhaps even ever, but her lack of social experience leaves her unintentionally naïve. From what he has observed in the many years he's known her, she gets defensive when it comes down to things she can't solve through science or tech causing her to approach the issue with the use of aggression to get others to avoid even broaching the subject. He didn't want to see someone he loved like a little sister getting hurt.

But he couldn't see his little brother unhappy either. Keith's been through hell and comes a long way since they found Blue, opening up enough to make several close lifelong friends, including Pidge. He still has a few issues to overcome, leaving it so Shiro could only guess at what his little brother was thinking.

The terrible part of the whole conversation hasn't hit yet, and Keith already just wants to knock himself out desperately by hitting his head against the windowpane. He knows he should have seen all of this coming.

Once again, Shiro switches tactics...

"Pidge looked nice tonight. I wonder if she's started seeing anyone. After all, none of you are kids anymore and usually only act up occasionally…" Shiro throws in a joke for good measure as he decides to just put it out there. Then, he mentally squares his shoulders to be ready for whatever Keith might say or throw at him. If he has a choice, Shiro's hopes Keith'll just smack the shit out of him- easy and over. His young friend has gotten way too good with that blade his mother left him for any kind of sword fight. As for the third option, Keith was quick with his wit and an argument with him could go on for as long as Keith wanted it to. His way with words was just not worth the headache for Shiro so he'd take the quick and easy gut-punch any day `over the potential never-ending migraine that would occur until Keith drops the grudge.

"Yeah, she did." Keith offered softly with none of the usual defensiveness to his voice that he normally would have had if he was feeling aggravated. He eyes the new Voltcom fondly as the corners of his mouth twitch upward involuntarily. Shiro's pretty sure he'd of missed it if he hadn't been watching the young man's expression from the second he entered the room and would have sworn it was just "sometimers" kicking in at an early age.

"You know that you could ask her out." Blurts Shiro, watching Keith's face turn at least fifty different shades of red from the insinuation. Not wanting Keith to feel uncomfortable talking to him about these matters, he hurries to backpedal from a very clear pink elephant inside the darkening room but can only stammer. "If… if you wanted to… That is…" Shiro pops his words out like there's nothing between his ears but air. They came out of nowhere before he could stop himself, hang in the air that's suddenly turned heavy surrounding both, just waiting for them to catch up in Keith's brain. He knows well enough that any reaction Keith has given to this kind of attention that Shiro's seen has been rather on the slow side.

Briefly confused, Keith had to repeat what Shiro said twice in his head before the meaning clicked for him and his eyes shot up to Shiro.

"Wait… you think…" Keith almost shouts in panic, his eyes widen as anxiety sets in from fear of his secret being exposed and he fights the overwhelming urge to run out into the storm.

There it was, that defensive tone Shiro knew was coming. He had to admit it took a little longer than normal to break through Keith's aloof facade.

"Katie's a dear friend." Keith finally proclaims like Shiro just caught doing something he shouldn't be. He remains to argue firmly even though Shiro's just put him on blast, only to end up sounding more like he's trying to convince himself.

"Look, Keith, I just don't want to see you all alone… I've noticed for a long time now how you look at her when you think nobody is watching or will notice it and I've seen the pain that it can cause every time I look at Lance since we all lost Allura. I've been there myself Keith and I regret every day that I didn't make back home in time to save Adam or have any kind of change at happiness with him. It took me a long time to get over that grief even though we were in the middle of an intergalactic war at the time doesn't mean it didn't have any kind of effect on me."

He pauses, takes a deep breath and releases it with a long sigh.

"Right now, I can't figure out how to help either of you. I can't get through to Lance because he hides behind a bottle of booze. You build a wall around yourself that prevents only a few of us to get anywhere near close to you. You have shown no honest interest in this kind of thing and I don't know if you even have a certain preference, a certain type or even if you're interested in that kind of relationship at all.."

Keith only offers a confused look, hoping his silence will detour his friend from the conversation.

Shiro shrugged, facepalmed himself, then ran his flesh hand down his face.

'Unbelievable'... Shiro thinks, shaking his head slowly.

"I've just never seen you look at anyone how you look at her. I just want you to be happy. I really don't want to worry about you shutting yourself away from us the way Lance has."

"If there was something to tell, it would be you, that I'd come to. You already know that." Keith replies after a moment, his eyes focus at the ground with a grimace and takes a deep breath. "I'll say this. I don't want to hurt anyone, especially Katie. There probably isn't any other woman I care for more than her except my mom, maybe… but so you know and we can avoid any more of these little guy talk conversations, I am not as oblivious as everyone seems to believe. I don't care what others want to say or think about something so personal. What I do or who isn't anybody else's business." He flashes a glance around, then fixes his glare on Shiro.

Shiro remains quiet; it's his turn to hear what Keith has to say. He has a sinking feeling he may have pushed a bit too much.

Keith's voice started softly almost a whisper. Straining his ears, Shiro could barely hear him.

"I grew up on Earth." He gives a small laugh. "I mean obviously I grew up knowing nothing about my mom, thinking I was human. So while that part of me, the human part of me, mentally anyway, is how I learned and identify, it's just a larger part of me. My heart is human, even though I may fight or react in a Galran way. It remains that I have both human and Galran traits and for a long time, I believed it when someone said something was wrong with me." His eyes dart to the side then back to Shiro as he prepared what he was and what he wasn't ready to discuss with his big brother.

"When I spent those two years with my mom, I began to understand a few things. I had always known I was different somehow. After the Galra empire almost destroyed everyone on Earth, others looked at all of us associated with Voltron, the Paladins, You, Mr. Holt, the MFE fighters and the IGF-Atlas like we were all heroes to the people when in reality, we were just fighting like the rest of the universe to save our world and loved ones… to have a home to come back to… We got treated like celebrities there for a while until that novelty died down some. Who started the destruction is not something people will forget. I highly doubt anyone would want someone that was part of a race that killed their loved ones and obliterated their homes. I don't want to set myself up for failure. I do not want to lie to someone that I love about who my mother is, who I am. Even if they could look past that, I don't know about the future. I don't know if there will even be a future there. As for having a family, I have all of you and that will have to be enough. My mom had me, that's true, but it's a little different when it's the other way around. She told me she wasn't sure how it would work since I am also human." He pauses and a fond smile crosses his handsome face, his father's features becoming more dominant with age as Shiro watched the young man explain, remaining quiet.

"My mom told me once that my dad used to call me their little miracle baby before she left so she could protect me. I don't want to hurt anyone, least of all Katie… and I don't want to make promises I am not sure I can even keep."

Shiro stared at Keith, unable to say anything. He had known none of that or how Keith was feeling about the entire situation. He now figures that focusing on training is Keith's coping mechanism. When it came down to it, Keith definitely had a human heart... "I love Katie, that's why I can't tell her." He shrugs, his eyes dart to the rain again with a far off look and a level of defeat to his demeanor. "She deserves better than I know I can give her."

Ok, admitting one truth, then exaggerating throws Shiro off. It's worth it if it shuts Shiro up... he's learned this. Plus, he trusts Shiro and knows whatever he says won't leave the now almost pitch-black room... It's not that he doesn't want to share how he feels with his older brother. He just doesn't see a point in embarrassing himself this thoroughly when there isn't any way to change the situation. Keith doesn't like wasting his breath, and he loathes wasting his time.

Shiro now finds his own heartbreaking for Keith just as much as it had for Lance for different reasons.

Keith breathes in, forces it out with a loud tired sigh. "I, I…" His voice drops to a whisper but Shiro can still make out his words.

Now Shiro is feeling his tongue starting to slip, and he's honestly trying to justify telling Keith how Pidge looks back at him. How both of them sneak peeks when they think it's clear and no one will catch it. That the air changes around them when they're near each other… He ultimately knows he can't; it's not his confession to give. However, he does wholeheartedly believe that Keith needs put a lot more thought into something of such a delicate nature before giving up to such a lonely and final outcome.

All he can do is listen and perhaps give a bit of advice, but he knows he's treading the line with what he's about to say. "You should probably give this more thought," Shiro replies sincerely, sounding the most serious he's been all night. "You know Pidge isn't like that. She's known you for years now and has never once mentioned anything about you being part Galra. That right there should tell you something if you want to be honest. She and her family were the first humans affected by the Galra when they took us hostage on Kerberos. I'm pretty certain if she had any issue with any part of you, she'd made it clear by now."

In that long minute, the only reaction Shiro got was when Keith's eyes widened as if what he had just said hadn't been something that has occurred to him in all the years they've known each other.

Keith remained silent though, and the surprised look that crossed his face dissolved as quickly as it had appeared.

Glancing out the window quickly, he notes the rain is pounding stronger than ever. Knowing it's late, and that he's probably gotten more information than he could have ever asked for, with the early day they all have planned, both of them should at the very least try to get some sleep.

"Gets some rest, we can talk more on it later if you want or need to. I would reconsider your decision though… it has a few nice benefits." Shiro teases with his last comment.

Deciding he's tired and heard enough, at least for the night, he yawns loudly. Keith had intended to remain quiet, but those last words hit a nerve. He really didn't mean to say anything else, but he's gone this far, yet Shiro's still pushing and Keith can practically hear the gears turning inside his mind working to figure out exactly what he can say next time to bring up this same conversation.

Shiro almost makes it to the door, turns to say goodnight, watching Keith pull back his blankets.

"Yeah, night… Keith replies, swallows hard then quickly adds to it for good measure.

"Oh, and Shiro… I am well acquainted with those benefits you speak of… In case you've forgotten, I thought I was a normal human til after I was eighteen." He points out what he would think to be obvious to the older man.

The door swished open as Shiro's jaw drops. He's not sure what direction Keith is going with what he's just said, but he wanted to forget the insinuation. It's an image Shiro's gonna have trouble getting out of his head for a while. He slowly removes his dumbfounded expression, his mouth forces a yawn. How was it possible to get way too much information and not enough at the same damn time…

Keith grumbles, shifting to get comfortable, and says "Goodnight Shiro" again a tad too loud, showing he was finally starting to get aggravated. "Could ya lock the door on your way out…"

"Um, sure…" Shiro fumbles.

Mentally, Keith's rolling his eyes. "I was first in my fighter pilot class the entire time before punching Iverson. Do you really think I was so clueless that I didn't see when girls threw themselves at me? How do you think I ignored Acxa the entire time she traveled with us after she helped us escape?"

"Ok, enough… I get it. None of anyone's... my business…" Now, Shiro is the one rolling his eyes. If he had to guess, he knew Keith probably didn't take advantage of any situations like that, but he was also pretty sure he was not as absentminded as he was pretending to be.

After he hears the code punched in and the sliding door locks into place, Keith laughs hard enough to bring tears to his eyes, seeing Shiro embarrassed, was priceless.

(A dark cave-like chamber, somewhere hidden on Pollux, the former Altean prison planet… During Paladin's annual dinner)

"So, you finally show up…" A creepy voice rings out into the silence, hidden inside the darkness that its location gives between the entrance and main chamber, opening up into a large spacious area that holds a large laboratory. Specimens in glass line the walls, some containers hold foreign, almost unrecognizable materials, and others have different levels of many-colored liquids. All of it creepy looking and obviously being used to store something of importance. At first glance, it would confuse anyone that might happen upon the large and eerie but hidden place. However, to the little green monster that now occupied the space, there is a clear sense of a method to its madness.

"It was hard to get away before now." A woman's voice echos while answering. "Need I remind you who is the boss here…"

The short scaly green being stepped up to a holo-screen, glaring at the taller female standing next to him with her arms crossed against her chest. Knowing that the new visitor hasn't actually spoken, the creature raised his arm and touched a long pointed finger to the holo-screen that had appeared in mid-air. Once the needed information displays in front of both, the shorter of the two chances a peak with his one red eye at the guest.

The visitor glares downward, so the host starts the explanation. Clearing its throat, an almost smug half-grin toys at the corner of the mouth.

"The storm is unfortunate… Even still there's been some progress. At the very least the storm has shielded my eye from being noticed. While it may take longer to get the information we are looking for, my eye has never failed."

The guest stares ahead at the screen, amusement is clear in her eyes, but doesn't grant the other the satisfaction of an actual smile. It might present a kind of approval at the progress that is being made. Decent help is hard to find, good help is even harder, and she doesn't want a minion to think it has any true importance in her grand scheme.

"That is acceptable, it is a little less troubling to know you have truly been doing the job I sought you out to do, Maahox."

Maahox, knowing this is as close as it gets to being told the job is being done well, smiles, flashing a mouth full of very yellow, offsetting and completely gross ugly teeth.

"Your Highness, none of my endeavors would be successful if not for your continuous help. I am very close to recreating the process that will enable us to create the clone army."

"What do we need for completion?" the quest's eyes narrowed. "Honerva took so much of her research and discoveries with her when she went all noble. I am the only alchemist of her caliber left, it is convenient she offered me the chance to study both as her apprentice and the unlimited access to her research. Her sudden change of mind may have been unexpected, but I am confident that the small fraction of Galra that remain loyal, giving headaches even after all this time to those rebel traitors calling themselves Blades have finally all gathered on this desolate rock."

"Yes, very…" Maahox rolls the only eyeball in his head and hoped she didn't hear the sarcasm in his reply. "The prisoners left here are of some use still, my queen. Do not forget, that is how you found me…" He rubbed his hands together in glee. This would be his favorite part of the entire plan, the fun part.

"Spit out what I came here for, Maahox. I have no tolerance for fools."

"As you wish… My queen… Have you chosen a new champion yet?"

"Ahh, yes Maahox. That was the easy part." She gives a cold chuckle as her eyes go blank. "That decision has been made for some time."

"Shall we proceed with plan Kuron 2.0 then?"

The queen grabbed her long pink braid, stroking the ends. "By all means… I won't be stepping foot on that planet again until I rule it. They've made it crystal clear I am underappreciated, and it's time they understand how foolish they are for doing so."

After speaking she paused and a large vulture looking bird creature swooped down from a perch up high. It landed on her shoulder and she ran a hand over what resembled feathers. "Just remember, do all the experiments you desire and want to get what we need to finish any loose ends, but he does not die. Understand…"

"If I might point out just one problem with your logic?" Maahox meekly questions then cringed.

"If you are daring to question my authority, then by all means." The queen's eyes narrowed more so, giving the queen a reptilian looking iris. "I can squash you with a thought or let my pet here eat your insides."

"Oh, I would never do that… Queen Merla. I am but your humble servant and only wish to please you." Maahox bowed at the middle then stood straight at full height. He has mastered his brown-nosing skills over a lifetime of covering his own ass.

Merla bristles some at the annoyance but if she thinks about it, she is curious and gives permission.

"The subject you want to use would rather die than give up anything to us. He will fight to keep others unharmed."

"Oh, I am counting on that," Merla answered smugly. "He may risk his own life for others, but there is no Voltron to aid his quest or to throw off my plan. As long as the blue lion has no paladin, the lead lion won't wake up either. The Atlas has no true power without Voltron and doesn't pose a real threat. If only one more paladin dies, and another lion needs a new paladin, we could have a problem… if kept alive but weakened, there should be no issue. It's an idiot-proof plan... IF he breathes, he will fight… one of the many reasons that make him the best choice for our little plan. Honerva was stupid to use a simple human for the original Kuron plan, but a half-human, half galran could make all the difference. "

"Therefore, we will play it smart then, right, mistress?" Maahox asked. "He won't care if he dies as long as it saves others…"

Her authority being questioned was angering her, but something simple she hadn't thought about began to nag at her brain.

"The red and yellow paladins are useless… One has moved on with his life, remind me to make him head of the kitchen staff once I take over, and the other can't pull himself out of a bottle of liquor… pining away for his perfect princess… UGH… useless... although, if the young paladin figures dying would protect others by awaking the lions sooner… and that little green one could be an issue as well… if… I hadn't been watching all of them over the last three years."

"What do you mean?" Maahox looked confused.

"Two birds, one stone… Simple. We want the strongest of the team for obvious reasons…"

"You wanting to turn him into a toy is not a clear reason, majesty." Maahox bantered.

"He sealed his fate for himself when he assumed he was saving my colony in the beginning. They promised me the rule over the Altean people, and eventually, all that fell under the rule of the Galran empire… Their perfect princess let my husband die!" She screeched at the mad scientist. "I will not make the same mistake Honerva did… I deserve some respect for all I have done, and just want what they owe to me. I have a debt to collect and I will take what is mine from the future in front of me! This is their error and they will fix it… They've done this to themselves by making unwise decisions!" She was all but growling, her face was turning red as her anger grew more fierce. The events from the past five or so years flashed inside her head, stopping at an image of the current black paladin. "You know that he has the skills we need. The rest is more of a benefit."

"We should include a bit of insurance don't you think… Queen…" Maahox, often pretending to be the obeying good minion to suck up, is trying to lead his boss to an obvious idea... He has learned that his suggestions some times appear insubordinate to whichever boss he is working with. To get across what he already knows to be a better idea, even greater if he gets something out of it, he knows to plant a few seeds through his words. More often than not, he has found it best that the boss thinks the idea was theirs from the beginning. He has learned rather quickly how to lead the authority to the correct point of action.

Merla taps her chin, and her eyes grow wide when a solution to the inconvenience comes. "He is rather protective of the small one… maybe too protective…" She ponders. Collecting her thoughts, Maahox can visibly see when the seed he just watered sprouted.

Maahox cracks a knowing smile, that's what he's been eagerly awaiting. "Will I be getting another specimen for my research?" He asks, the sick joy of the thought sneaks into his voice.

"Same rule applies…" Merla snarled. "Or it does more harm than good. We would contradict ourselves and sabotage the effort already put in. The lions will understand and bend the odds to find their new paladin faster. There is no immediate clear threat as of now, so they remain resting. Your eye must find the resting dens quickly, so we can take possession and can keep them out of operation. For the meantime, we take the smartest and strongest of their knights out of the equation."

"You are too kind to me, my Queen… giving me both a male and female lab rat." Maahox proclaimed, his voice barely containing the excitement he felt.

"You can't kill them." Merla reiterates harshly. "You kill either of them and you join them. I haven't been creating my Cosmotron and seeking knowledge from the rift to get the quintessence needed to finish what Honerva couldn't with the clones just to watch you fuck up. There is too much at stake for me to allow any of your morbid tinkering taking precedence. One mistake from you and my pet here eats your insides like the Terran myth Prometheus. Am I clear?"

Her tone held a finality Maahox knew would be detrimental to his health or any other plans to remain alive. So he nodded to reassure his queen he would take special care not to kill the new pawns. Once his energy was spent from convincing her, he flashed a very scary yet crazy as well expression just before his features settled. His mouth moved, his tone came out both emotionless and cold.

"Crystal… My Queen of darkness." Maahox answered.

With the assurance that she had an accord with her flunkey, she turns on her heel to leave the spacious cavern.

Maahox's expression morphed back into his psychopathic smile.

"You'd be amazed what one can live through…" He mutters into the empty chamber.

To Be Continued... Part 4-Search


End file.
